Newbie

Greetings, and thank you for allowing me to participate on this great site.

I have a Craftsman Commercial (re-branded Atlas) lathe which I believe dates from the 1970s.

The headstock (spindle) carrier bearings have gotten very noisy and I would like to replace them. Clausing shows them as still available - at a price tag $350 and $150, for the two bearings. Yikes!

I wondered if anyone has an interchange number from either Timken or SKF, or any other bearing manufacturer, before I take the headstock apart and get some measurements. Clausing's part numbers are 045-026 and 045-027.

H-M Supporter - Gold Member

The best place to buy your bearings is an industrial bearing supply place, but to do that you need the part numbers off your bearings,
and preferably the bearings in hand when you walk in the door. You also need to know what class of bearings you need, which defines
the level of precision. The cost from Clausing may, in part reflect the fact that they're supplying a higher precision bearing. I would think you
would want at least an ABEC5 (better than standard) bearing for your lathe. I bet a bearing supply house could beat Clausing on price, even
for an equivalent bearing. Be sure to buy bearings from a quality manufacturer: the cheap Chinese stuff is often junk.

Newbie

The best place to buy your bearings is an industrial bearing supply place, but to do that you need the part numbers off your bearings,
and preferably the bearings in hand when you walk in the door. You also need to know what class of bearings you need, which defines
the level of precision. The cost from Clausing may, in part reflect the fact that they're supplying a higher precision bearing. I would think you
would want at least an ABEC5 (better than standard) bearing for your lathe. I bet a bearing supply house could beat Clausing on price, even
for an equivalent bearing. Be sure to buy bearings from a quality manufacturer.

H-M Supporter - Sustaining Member

I would not buy bearings based on what you read on the internet SHOULD fit your machine. I would take it apart and get the actual numbers off your existing bearings. If you are going to change the bearings you are going to have to take it apart, might as well get started and motivated.